Live-animal race.



P. C. ROBERTS 6r. H. J. TITUS.

LIVE ANIMAL RAGE.

APPLIGATION FILED un. 24. 190e.

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\` f 'i n PATENTED JUNE 4, 1907.

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No. 855,670. PATENTED JUNE 4, 1907. I'. 0. ROBERTS 6L H. J. TIIUS. LIVE ANIMAL RAGE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 24. 1906.

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UNITED S'ITES PATENT FERDINAND C. ROBERTS, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, AND I-IAZEN J. TITUS, F

JACKSON, TENNESSEE.

LIVE=ANIIVIL RACE.

No. s55-,670.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 4, 1907'.

Application filer; March 24, 1906l Serial No. 307,932.

.To criticit/1?, t may concern:

Be it known that we, FERDINAND C. Ronnn'rs and I-IAZEN J. TlTUs, citizens oi' the United States, residing at Detroit, in the county of Vayne and State of Michigan, and at Jackson, in the county of Madison and State of Tennessee, respectively, have invented. a new and useful Live-Animal Race, of which the following is a specication.

Our invention relates to an inclosed track or race for animals, and the objects of our improvements are, first, to provide as long a race as possible within a given space; second, to make a plurality of races one above another; third, to manipulate doors in different parts of the race to direct the animal in its course; fourth, to place trippingfrods along in the race to delay the animal in its travel 5 fifth, to provide animal cages in connection with the race; sixth, to make an attractive, convenient and substantial construction and other objects to become apparent from the description to follow.

It is a Well known fact that it is against the laws of nature and detrimental to the life and health of the creature to have animals in captivity and no means of allowing them to take plenty of exercise.

Our invention is designed to supply a means for allowing live animals to take plenty of exercise, in a U shape with a loop or return at each end of the U, the entire .runway being inclosed with open wire work.

Below the runway or race are arranged cages, for animals and at some convenient place along the race one or more lifting platforms are provided to cause the animalto travel up to, or down'froin, the elevated race as the case may be. We prefer to make two runways one above the other and substantially duplicates. Numerous doors and tripping rods to be manipulated from one station are provided alongI both runways.

To describe our invention so that others may understand it sufiiciently to make' and use the same we have illustrated it on the accompanying two sheets of drawings forming a part of this specification in which Figure 1, isa perspective view of an animal race embodyingour invention; Fig. 2, is a plan section of the same and Fig. 3, is an elevation of the operating station.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the severalfviews.

The race or runways 5 and 6 are madesufficiently wide to accommodate the animals intended tov use the same and are inclosed by the open wire work 7, on the sides and top. The runway 6 is directly above runway 5 and serves as a top covering for the same, and below the runway 5 is arranged a series of cages 8 in which animals may be kept. For amusement or exhibition purposes the course of the runways is preferably of a U shape with the return loops 9 at e'ach end, which as clearly shown in the drawings forms an endless course for each runway 5 and 6, the central portion of the course being traversed in both directions.

Between the loops 9, 9, and preferably along a straight portion of therunways 5 and 6 are provided the trap doors l0 and ll hinged at l2 and arranged to be raised' and lowered by means of ropes 13, the ends of which are within reach of the operator who is stationed adjacent to the doors outside the wire work 7. As seen in Fig. 3, the doors l0 are hinged at about the same height as the runway 5 and are arranged to be in either of two positions, that is, on a level with the runway 5 or with their free end down on a level with the floor of the cages S; and the doors ll are hinged at about the same height as the runway 6 and are arranged to be in either of two positions, that is on a level with the runway 6 or with their free ends down on a level with runway 5. These doors l() and ll are for the purpose of transferring an animal from the cage floor to the runway 5 or runway 6 and back again, the animal traveling up or down the doors as the case may be.

To insure the animal taking the desired course around the loops 9, 9, we prefer to hinge at l5 at the junction of the two branches of the loops 9, 9, a vertical door or gate 14 arranged to be moved into either of two positions, that is with its free end against one wire work vertical wall 7 or against the other wire work wall 7 by means of ropes 16 secured to the free end of the gate and the other ends of the ropes being within reach of the operator. It will be seen that when the free end of the gate 14 is in-one of saidpositions the animal 'will be compelled to go around the loop 9 in one direction and when the gate 14 is in the other of said positions the animal will be compelled to go around the loop 9 in the other direction. `We also prefer to arrange a plurality of doors along` the runways which can be opened and closed by the operator at will Such doors will normally be in an open position and are preferably hinged at tlie'top as clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing. ln this manner either et the aninials i'nay be coniined between two doors.

For amusement and exnibition purposes two animals olc dil'leient species, for example a fox and a hound, inay be confined on the runways, and the operator :an manipulate thegates 14 and doers 1l) and 1lV as he desires, to have the chase coiitinued or not. lt is easily understood how two animals confined on the ruin rays 5 and 6 can le sa'wiliarated by manipulating the doors l() and` ll.. further amuse the spectators and also to re tard the travel of the pursuing animal, we prefer to providel a nuinber ol tripping ro ds l? along on the runways 5 and 6, pivoted to said runways, and arranged to be turned, up on their pivots, to Vforni obstructions tor the passing; animal, by l'iaving coi'ineeted thereto the ends of ropes a vwhich have their other ends within r x.ach ol the operator. The trip ping' rods 17 normally lie, by loree oll gravity, down on the runways 5 and (5 which are prelerably provided with grooves to receive said roi s so that they lie entirely below the top surface ol'` the runways.

l"i/"Vhile we have shown and described a construction which we at pr )sent believe. to be the best, we wish to have it understood tha nuinerous changes in the arangement and construction ot the device in ay be inade without departin from the scope oi' the invention.

Having thus fully described our invention. what we desire to secure by Letters latent ol the United States is z" l. ln a device of the class described, way provided with a return loop at end.

2. In a device of the class described,

a runeither a runn To i way provided with a return loop at either end and a trap d oor to serve as an approach to and an exit Vlroin said runway.

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.,i. Vn a i e\ ice o t 1e e ass dcsciitied, a inni f'ayprovided with a return loop at either end and with a gate hinged at the pinction olV said loop branches to determine the entrance ,d

to the loop.

4. Yln a device ol the class described two rn nways arranged one above the othe1 and provided with return loops at both ends and a trap door in; one oli said rui'iways to serve as a connectingT passage between said runw; fys.

5. ln a device ot the class des iribed, an in closed elevated rum *ay provided with a reti i rn loop at each end, a series ol1 cages undernezdh aid runway and a t ap door in said runwayV to serve z s z portion ot the runway and a s a connectingl passage between said runway and said series ot cages.

Vin a device oll the class described a rnnwayproviiled witha return loop at both ends. a pivoted tripp'n'ife,r rod and means loi' moving' said tripping' rod into an opefative position,

17. ln a device oil' the class described, an iii-- closed runway provided with a return loop at either end.

8: ln a device olI the class described,a run way extended in substantially a tl shape and provided with a return loop at either end.

9, ln a device olE the class d scribed, an inclosed runway exteiided in substzmlially a shape and provided, with a return loop at either end.

ln testimony wheeo'lE we have signedonr naines to this speci'lication in presence` ol` two subscribiiig witnesses this ,Lith day o'lI ida'reh, 1906, at Chicago, `illinois.

FEHDNAND (l. liO'B'lClllel. HAZEN J. T lTU Si. lilslitnesses z l l. LONERGAN, l. J. Jaciiiin.

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